Alhaji Badawi Ahmed Saleh, Assistant Head, Ghana Institute of Languages (GIL), in Kumasi has called for the promotion of the learning of international languages to boost international trade while increasing access to global job opportunities.
He explained that though Ghana was sharing boundaries on all sides with Francophone neighbours, there was a language barrier which was negatively impacting on trade and commerce due to lack of a working knowledge in the French Language.
Alhaji Badawi was addressing the Maiden Graduation Ceremony of the School in Kumasi on Thursday during which 450 students were awarded with certificates for taking a year's course in German, French, Spanish and English, among others.
He said though political leaders were making frantic efforts to bring countries of different backgrounds closer through the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the entire citizenry needed to take steps to become bilingual to foster cooperation and development among African peoples.
Alhaji Badawi mentioned that Kumasi, the third in the country where the institute was located apart from Accra and Tamale would soon introduce Bilingual Secretaryship aside the School of Languages like that of Accra which also offers an additional course in Translation.
In addition, he said the school had a Transbureau Unit which translated and interpreted languages such as English, French, German, Spanish and Arabic.
He thanked the government for interventions so far made to promote the learning of French in schools, saying, GIL was collaborating with Senior High Schools (SHS) with French Centres (CREF) to help advance the learning of the language.
Nana Owusu Banahene, a Lecturer at the University College of Education Winneba (UCEW), Kumasi Campus, called on the graduands to take advantage of the courses the school was offering to always upgrade themselves in their various fields of endeavours.
Mr. Elijah Essel, the out-going Students' Representative Council (SRC) President appealed to the government to help provide the school with the necessary logistics to upgrade it.